North Korean Rocket Debris Shows 'Iran Connection'

In this undated photo, a part of debris from a rocket North Korea launched on Dec. 12, 2012 is seen on a South Korean navy vessel in the Yellow Sea, South Korea. (AP Photo/South Korea Defense Ministry)

(Newser)
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Judging by the remains of North Korea's new long-range rocket, Pyongyang was aided by Iran but isn't much closer to launching a nuclear missile, the New York Times reports. South Korean officials and intelligence officers described what they learned by following the rocket's flight data and combing through debris found off the coast of South Korea. A military intelligence official said the rocket's oxidizer tank—which propelled the missile with red fuming nitric acid—was "crude" and "done by hand," and indicated an "Iran connection" in Pyongyang's missile program.

The launch marked an advance for North Korea—which put a rocket into orbit for the first time—but analysts found no evidence of "re-entry" technology that would ensure the survival of a warhead re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. What's more, they doubt the North has developed technology to miniaturize and mount a nuclear bomb on a rocket. But Pyongyang considered it a great success, and leader Kim Jong-un held a banquet for the 101 technicians and scientists who developed the rocket, according to state media. (One op-ed yawned over the launch, while another slammed President Obama for not shooting it down.)

Wrong, again. I have nothing against Asians, my wife is Vietnamese. More than that, I lived inA sia for over 4 years (Japan, Viet Nam and Cambodia) and I found out all the trashes they have to deal with the Korean made trucks, cars are the worst (Hyundai, Kia). Even the Vietnamese made trucks have less pollution than Korean made ones. South Korean males are well-known as violent, aggressive and abusive. North Koreans are known as the worst brianwashed dickheads. The rest of Asian beat these bozos. Making a statement about ONE thing (North Korean missiles) won't make me a biased person, I think.

myflap.blow

Dec 23, 2012 10:56 PM CST

whatever. From the looks of it I have that same technology in my refrigerator.

No-Left-Turn

Dec 23, 2012 8:21 PM CST

"North Korean Rocket Debris Shows 'Iran Connection'" Duh !!! Someday, we will be at war with Iran. I would hate to know how many of our troops their weapons have killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.